by Liza Probz
The hands on her head threaded into her hair to gently pull her upward. Then his arms slipped under hers and he lifted her, holding her against his chest.
"Thank you, Jennifer."
The way he said her name made her break out in shivers. People rarely used her first name, and something about the seductive and reverent way he formed the syllables made her want to melt.
“That was incredible," he said, nuzzling her neck as he held her face next to his. "I've never experienced anything like it."
What did he mean? The alien commander had never received oral sex before? How could that be possible?
He must have taken in her incredulous expression because Ontarii laughed. "That's right, woman. I've never had that particular pleasure before."
"But how is that possible?" she asked. "The men and women on my planet do that sort of stuff all the time."
Ontarii's teeth were bright in his face, making the darkness of his skin that much more intense. "I'm sure they do. As you might have noticed when I was deep inside you earlier, Zantharian males' anatomy is not identical to human males though."
"Yeah," she mumbled. "You're a lot bigger than any man I've ever met."
He laughed again, and she couldn’t help but smile. "That's not what I'm talking about."
"The electricity?" Of course. She'd feared those shocks herself.
Ontarii nodded. "They are an automatic response for the Zantharian male. Not something we can control. Naturally, Zantharian females are reluctant to risk the shock, but since my charge is completely depleted, we didn't have to worry about my bioelectricity."
"I'm glad I could share that experience with you for the first time."
"Me too. You have no idea how much it means to me." He brushed her hair back and looked down at her lovingly, the expression stealing the last bit of her resolve to remain inattentive to whatever was unfolding between them.
When his lips took hers they were gentle, the savagery of their earlier encounter washed away with a tranquil tenderness. Her arms encircled his neck of their own accord and Brook lost herself to his kiss.
When she could no longer breathe, she had to pull away.
Ontarii slowly lowered her to the floor, sliding her body along his, making her feel every inch of him. “I want you. Tell me I can have you.”
“Anything you want,” she whispered against his lips as he nipped at her and growled low in his chest.
She realized then that his cock had not softened. If anything, it was harder than ever. She marveled at this male's sexual prowess. He turned her on like no one ever had. Even in their current situation, spiraling out of control, an alien enemy's prisoner, she could put circumstance out of her mind and focus on her attraction to this stunning man in front of her.
Taking her zipper between his fingers, the major began to pull it downward, then he peeled her out of her flight suit. She barely noticed when he removed her underclothing, and soon she stood before him, as naked as he was.
"I know you're no good for me," he said, his voice low, but face beautifully sincere. "And I'm no good for you, but I don't care. I want you so fucking bad."
Brook wasn't sure what to make of his words. She hugged herself, suddenly cold. Why was she no good for him?
He wrapped his strong arms around her and tugged on her chin to pull her gaze to his, and nothing else mattered. He smiled, his eyes full of desire, and she let her thoughts go. He wanted her, and she more than wanted him.
“Good enough” could go to hell.
Chapter 24
Ontarii stared down at the woman in front of him. She was so beautiful. His heart burned in his chest until he thought his entire body would catch fire. Her golden eyes were vivid in her pale face. Her lips were swollen with his kisses. She was absolute perfection.
For the moment, she belonged to him.
He wouldn't try to convince himself that this was anything more than it was, a much-needed distraction while they hurtled toward their probable doom. What was between them couldn’t last, but it didn’t matter.
Now that they had been taken prisoner by the Hareema, he likely wouldn't live long enough for the mating frenzy to kill him. It was best to seize the chance to love her while he could.
Her lustrous hair tumbled over her left shoulder, a striking torrent of darkness against white skin. He slid his hand over her shoulder, pushing the hair away and planting a soft kiss where her shoulder met her neck.
She shivered under him as he licked his way down from her neck to heavy breasts with their pretty pink peaks. He licked first one nipple then the other, alternating between them until she was trembling, her fingers buried in the tendrils on his head.
"Mmmmm... " she sighed, her head falling back as he continued to suckle her. Then he bit gently on her breast and she let out a moan. He peppered her skin with soft bites, loving the feel of her in his mouth. Every nip was met with another moan.
When he thought she couldn't take any more on her sensitive nipples, he moved down, licking over the smooth expanse of her stomach. Then lower, until he was at the core of her sex.
He loved the exotic, musky smell of her arousal. It made his cock throb, made his senses swim, made his blood ignite with lust. He licked around the outside, teasing her and biting at her thighs gently until she started to shake. Was she nervous? He almost hoped so.
The angle wasn’t favorable in their current position, so he stood and turned his beautiful female around, wondering if she would comply. He bent her at the waist, pushing her torso low so that her back arched and her sexy ass lifted into the air for him.
"Stay still," he ordered, going to his knees and putting his hands on her hips. He leaned forward and buried his face against her wet flesh.
Jennifer cried out loudly, and he knew he could have her beside him forever. Everything about her drove him mad, but her pleasure was intoxicating.
He licked at her slit, up and down, over and over again. She rocked her hips back, rubbing herself against his mouth as he groaned over and over. She tasted like honey, and he craved more, though he wasn’t near done with her.
He used his hands to spread her open and slid a finger deep inside of her.
"You're so beautiful," he whispered worshipfully.
Ontarii set about tasting every inch of her sex, thrusting his fingers into her as he turned his face to continue his assault. He couldn't get enough of her, his hunger for her driving him to new heights. He growled against her and heard her moan in reply.
With savage precision, he proceeded to bring her to climax with a hard suck on her sensitive clit.
She shook around him, screaming in pleasure, her core releasing a rush of moisture which he lapped up greedily.
That rush sent him into a fever, causing him to redouble his efforts. He licked her again, nibbling on her, sucking her clit, even scoring his teeth against it.
She quickly tumbled over the edge again, releasing yet another flood of moisture. He set about licking her clean, but she pulled away, her entire body shaking. She went to her knees in front of him, then splayed out on her bottom, resting on her arms.
"My God." She struggled to catch her breath. "I can't believe how good you are at that."
Ontarii smiled as he licked his lips. "You’re delicious. I couldn't help myself, and I want more of you."
Her cheeks flushed pink, and he was delighted at the display. It seemed humans had a little color-changing ability with their moods. It was sweet and he appreciated being able to see her in a moment of vulnerability.
Captain Brooklyn was a strong woman, one who didn't back down from a challenge. He respected that strength, but some part of him longed to be able to take her worries away, to let her depend on him, to let down that guard and allow him to protect her.
Then he realized that, in this situation, it was likely he could do little to keep her safe.
A riot of emotion overwhelmed Ontarii. He felt helpless, impotent against his enemies. He wanted to wrap the hum
an woman in his arms and never let her go, but not only would that be impossible once they reached their destination, he wasn't sure that she would tolerate it either.
He wanted her, more and more each moment they spent together. His desire was futile, just as their attempts to puzzle out the Hareema controls had been. She had been his, for a few shining moments, but now was the time to let her go.
It frightened him to realize that he wasn’t willing to release her. He didn't want to, and his body ached as she pulled herself away, gathering her clothing and getting dressed again.
He strapped on his own sarong, as he watched her with untapped lust that shouldn’t have existed.
She looked up at him, her eyes full of feeling, but her lips silent. He went to her, pulling her into his arms. She was limp against him, pliant, and he took them to their knees. Then he carefully lowered her to the floor and settled in beside her.
He pulled her against his side so that her head rested on his shoulder. She turned to face him and he could feel her breath on his ear. She felt so good beside him, so right.
Ontarii ran his fingers through her soft hair, wondering if a relationship between them was a real possibility. Although not long ago he'd considered it not only impractical but impossible, when he held her like this, he could almost believe they could make it work.
"Have you ever wanted to have a family?" he asked, his voice low. It was an important question, and her eyes showed that she understood that it was.
"I'm not sure," she said, and he could hear the honesty in her words. "As a spaceship captain, I don't have much spare time. I'm either preparing for a mission, carrying out a mission, or reporting back from a mission. That doesn't leave much room for a family."
His stomach tightened. It was just as he'd feared.
"But," she said, her mouth opening in a yawn that revealed how exhausted she was. "Somehow, despite the nature of my job, I've always assumed that someday I'll find space less appealing, and I'll plant some roots. On that day I think I'd like to have a family. A husband. A child or two that I could watch grow."
Jennifer yawned again, and as he watched, those glowing golden eyes glided closed.
Ontarii was content to let her rest. She would need her strength whenever they reached their destination. Just what the destination would be, he was unsure, but he was certain that, since the Hareema were involved, it would be dangerous.
The ship could be speeding deep into space, with no course in mind, the only intention of the enemy being to get the Zantharian and human captain as far away from the action as possible. They could float there, trapped in the vessel, until they starved.
Or maybe a course had been set that would take them into the center of a star. They wouldn't have to worry about a lack of food and water when they were being burned alive.
Ontarii forced the heinous thoughts from his mind. Brooding on their destination served no purpose. They'd figure things out when they got there. If the trip took longer than another twenty minutes or so, he should be charged up again and able to put up a fight. Until then, it made sense to rest.
Sparing another glance at the woman asleep beside him, he let his eyes drift closed. He felt calm with Jennifer beside him. Although the mating frenzy forced one's emotions into turmoil, a mate could always help calm one. That alone helped him to swallow the fact that Jennifer was his mate, for good or ill. He'd never have another, so he had to seize the chance for happiness. This was all he had, and somehow it was all he wanted.
Despite his earlier reservations, he realized now what the Supreme Regent of Zanthar must have determined as well. Human women weren't like Zantharian women, but that didn't make them inferior. Anyone who said differently was a fucking moron that would get a fist to the face.
Let people talk. I'll demolish anyone who thinks they can disparage my woman. I'd fight any battle, give up everything, just to possess her. What does my career mean, in the face of feelings like these? She is the other half of my soul, and you can't just give up your soul.
You have to fight for it.
Ontarii smiled, glad that he'd reached a decision about his fate. No matter what happened, if they could get away from the Hareema, he would claim Captain Jennifer Brooklyn, the human female, as his mate.
Now, he just had to figure out how to defeat the Hareema on their home turf and get him and Jennifer back to Zanthar.
With this woman by his side, he was beginning to think they had a fighting chance.
Chapter 25
Brook woke with a start. She couldn't believe she'd fallen asleep while they were hurtling through space toward God knew where. Then she realized she was resting next to Ontarii and she relaxed again.
Snuggling into him, she watched as the big man slept. He was absolutely silent, the rise and fall of his chest the only evidence that he was alive and breathing. His face wasn't tense as it often was during his waking hours. Instead, he looked almost innocent, and much younger than he did when he was awake.
Although they'd only known each other for the space of hours, Brook realized now that she'd fallen hard for the alien commander. Not only was he handsome and brave, he was smart, compassionate, and capable.
Ontarii was everything Brook had always wanted in a husband. She just hadn't expected him to be an alien.
The thought of marrying an alien didn't fill her with discomfort like she thought it might. He's from another planet. So what?
His eyes moved back and forth rapidly beneath his dark eyelids. He's dreaming. She wondered what visions he was experiencing during his slumber.
Suddenly his eyes opened. He caught sight of her and gave her a tremendous smile.
"Hi there," he mumbled, then opened his mouth for a huge yawn. "I was just dreaming about you."
"You were?" she asked. "What were you dreaming about?"
He pulled her tighter, his voice rough with sleep as he answered. "We were on Zanthar, on an island near the colony where I grew up. I was showing you the giant sea turtles. I'd just set you up on one of the elder's backs for a ride when I woke up."
The image touched Brook deep inside. It gave her hope that the deep feelings she felt for the major weren’t one-sided. Then he stretched under her and she moved away, coming to her knees and doing her own stretching.
The ship continued on its path into the unknown.
"Do you think this rig has anything to eat?" she asked, putting her hand over her rumbling belly. It had been hours since she'd eaten, and she was definitely feeling the lack.
Ontarii sat up and looked around. "I haven't seen any panels that seem to open for storage. Have you?"
Brook shook her head. "No. The ship seems extremely sparse. Not useful for long journeys or large numbers."
They both stood, and split up, going to opposite sides of the craft. Then they started a slow scan, running hands over panels, searching for anything that might provide food or drink. Their search netted no results.
"This doesn't make sense," Brook said, her frustration leaking into her voice. "Why trap us here and take us away from my ship? Do you think this is what happened to my crew?"
Ontarii shook his head. "No. I think your crew's on my flagship. That's the only thing that makes sense. One of the Hareema convinced them to board the flagship, then said something that made my ship break formation and head off somewhere. Probably the home world."
His frown couldn't mar the perfection of his features.
Brook wanted to sigh at his physical beauty. He was an incredible creature, and she felt her desire for him rising. He'd already made her climax repeatedly, but she wanted more.
She struggled to pay attention to his words and not his body. "But why would they take our people but not us?"
"That is the question. Maybe we were chosen to be imitated. There's probably an Ontarii and a Captain Brooklyn on the flagship as we speak. Although they'd have to have figured out a way to fool the charge test into thinking they weren't shapeshifters." His brow furrowed. "There a
re so many loose ends in this mess that it's impossible to unravel it."
She stood close to him, patting him on the shoulder. "We'll figure it out before the end, handsome. Don't worry." Her smile was painted on, but she hoped he wouldn't notice.
He gave her a laugh, and it was only filled halfway to the brim with bitterness. It was a start.
"You know," he said, turning to her, his expression serious. "I think we should take this opportunity to talk about us."
"Us?" This was a surprising turn of conversation.
His face closed up. Maybe he was nervous. The thought made her heart beat faster.
"Yes. As you know, the mating frenzy has taken hold of me. If I do not mate my chosen female, I will die." She nodded. He'd said that much before. "It should be obvious by now who my chosen female is. All that remains is to mate you."
Brook swallowed. When he said it like this, it made it all seem so clinical. Where was the passion he exuded? It was entirely missing from his demeanor.
"If I am able to truly mate with you and release my seed, you will become my mate for life. I will not be able to take another - ever." He tilted his head as his eyes scanned her face.
Brook wasn't sure how to respond to his words. How did this make him feel? Happy? Disappointed? His expression gave no clues. She nodded, but didn’t respond. Staying silent seeming the most prudent course of action.
His eyes tightened. "I could just mate with you, release my seed to ensure that I will not pass away from the frenzy, and we could go our separate ways."
Those words hit her like a punch to the jaw. She could appreciate practicality in most things, but in a conversation like this, she hoped for at least a little romance.
"What if there's a child?" She thought the question a valid one. If he released his seed, couldn't it take root?
"That isn't very likely. We aren't the same species after all. This could all be a quirk of nature, something that happens once or twice in a hundred thousand times. The chance of offspring resulting from our union is slim, I would think."
